Tearful farewell at Highpoint Church as Chris Conlee says goodbye

An emotional Chris Conlee stood with his wife, Karin, before the members of Highpoint Church on Sunday morning and assured them that the work of the church he founded would continue.

"What we did here is real. And my heart, for every single one of you, is to never let this transition negate 16 years of fruit, more fruit and much fruit in your life, in the life of your family, in the life of your friends, in your belief in the local church," Conlee said. "You will know a tree by its fruit, and Highpoint Church is a good tree that bears good fruit."

CLOSE

Highpoint Church pastor Andy Savage admitted to having a sexual encounter with a high school student while working as a youth pastor in Texas.
USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee

Last week leadership at the Memphis megachurch announced Conlee's resignation in a letter to the congregation. It stated that church trustees and Conlee had respectfully agreed to go in different directions.

The letter was posted on Twitter by a church member.

On Sunday, Conlee spoke as their pastor one last time in offering guidance in how to deal with the new developments.

"People typically will turn from God instead of to God. And people will turn from the church instead of to the church. Don't do that. Turn to God. And turn to Highpoint Church," Conlee said.

Before addressing the congregation, Conlee received a standing ovation from the filled sanctuary.

"We have absolutely loved being your pastor through the highs and lows. But we have been blessed that there have been so many more highs than there have been lows," Conlee said.

He did not share any details behind his departure or where he will go, but that they are praying and "discerning God's will."

"Even though we don't know the specifics yet, Karin and I are more confident than ever before in our calling, in our gifting, in our anointing," Conlee said. "And we can assure you that we will spend the rest of our lives doing everything that we possibly can to be a good steward of that calling in order to prove that love works."

He became emotional as he shared his love, belief and pride in the members and the church, the names behind the membership numbers and the stories attached to each one of those names.

NEWSLETTERS

Get the Breaking News newsletter delivered to your inbox

We're sorry, but something went wrong

Stay on top of the news. The latest breaking news stories delivered to your inbox as they happen.

Before the 9:15 a.m. Sunday services, some members embraced while others teared up in what they expected to be a painful day.

As service began, trustee Erick Martin announced other adjustments in leadership as a result of Conlee's departure and a "family meeting" for members at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the East Memphis campus. Announcements were also made, he said, at their Collierville campus.

Martin acknowledged the shock, confusion, frustration, sadness and "probably anger" that members are feeling.

"See, we've made mistakes. And in this time, right now, with the best of intentions in the world, I promise you we are making mistakes we don't even know we've made yet," Martin said. "And with the best of intentions, we are going to make more mistakes. What we want to do is own that, ask for your patience, but most importantly, we ask for your forgiveness."

Highpoint was pulled into the #MeToo Movement at the start of the year when former teaching pastor Andy Savage was named in the sexual assault of a teenage girl 20 years ago while he was a youth pastor in Texas.

The teenager, Jules Woodson, went public with her story in January on the Wartburg Watch website.

She was a 17-year-old high school senior in 1998 when the alleged assault occurred. Savage was the 22-year-old youth pastor at Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church in suburban Houston.

She said Savage was supposed to be taking her home from church but instead took her to a secluded area. She said he asked her to perform oral sex but then changed his mind and asked her not to say anything.

Savage said in a radio interview shortly after Woodson went public that he remembered the moment as a spontaneous and consensual situation.

Woodson reported the incident to church leadership. Savage quietly left the Texas church and returned to Memphis. He was hired by Germantown Baptist Church and eventually Highpoint.

Leadership there knew about the incident in Texas when Savage was hired. He resigned in March.

Conlee declined an interview on Sunday, but did offer these words: "Jesus. Honor. Gratitude."